Reade Blog

Reade Signs were recently signed up by the sponsor of the England National Football League to promote their new corporate headquarters. Established in 2008, commercial vehicle leasing company Vanarama outgrew their original premises and recently moved into larger headquarters in Hemel Hempstead. They wanted to make an impact with a big refurbishment programme to let everyone know they’d arrived, so they asked Reade Signs to create the signage for their new HQ. We recognised that the new signage had to express more than Vanarama’s branding, which they’d been successfully promoting through their sponsorship of the English National Football League. They wanted to publicise their new headquarters. Our brief was to turn a tired, unattractive and unwelcoming building into a bright new office headquarters that would feel welcoming not only to customers but to staff and suppliers too. We had an immediate rapport with our client because we shared a common passion in football. Aldershot FC plays in the National League and Reade Signs sponsors the South Stand at Aldershot’s Football Ground; we were also ball sponsors at an Aldershot home match in March. So we felt we were really able to deliver a creative solution to announce Vanarama’s arrival in their new home. That’s not to say, though, that we didn’t face a few challenges on the way. The challenge: backlit to black? Our clients operate long hours, seven days a week, so illuminated signage was a must. However black lettering features heavily within their logo and this is always difficult to light up. Our team has years of experience in sourcing the best materials and we found a specialist acrylic that appears black in daylight but changes colour, in this case to white, when illuminated. And we used rimless letters to ensure a crisp, clean look both by day and night, ensuring the whole face is illuminated. Making a monolithic impact Vanarama also wanted to make a big statement with a five metre high monolith. Such a large structure required planning permission and structural engineering drawings for the foundations, as well as a detailed electrical plan. Reade Signs has installed many monoliths in varying locations, from shopping centres and business parks to university campuses, and we are able to advise all of our customers how to use them to make the biggest impact for their brand. We’re also able to apply for all the necessary planning permissions as part of our project management service, taking care of all the details and difficulties so our customers don’t have to worry about any of it. In this instance, the monolith had to be built in several sections at our factory, but this lets our client update their messaging quickly and cheaply. We were even able to make a design feature of the jointing, lighting that up, too. In addition, Vanarama also has a back-illuminated bus shelter-sized poster case on both sides of the monolith allowing them to promote special offers, show when they are recruiting or even to congratulate the League winners at the end of the football season! Find out how Reade Signs can put you on the map If you want to put your new commercial premises on the map with some bold and welcoming branding for your customers and staff, then Reade Signs are the ideal signing for your team. If you’d like more information and advice about how you can best display your brand, then contact us, email enquiry@readesigns.com or ring 01252 336000.

Consistent brand is important for any business, especially when that business has premises spread over a wide geographical area. And it’s made more complicated if you want a modern, unifying look for a variety of different premises types and shopfronts. This was the challenge Reade Signs faced when car tyre specialists Merityre asked us to rebrand most of their 21 sites across southern England. We needed to take the newly adopted brand style that Merityre had implemented in 2012 and apply it as part of a rolling update plan for their designated branches, taking into account any local restrictions or conditions. Applying a rebrand, step by step Our first step was to survey every branch, to take measurements, photographs and to check any access issues. We then had to visualise the new brand, with its bright, yellow theme, into the survey pictures and make any necessary changes for the client to approve. Once we had approval, the next step was to get the designs through the planning permission process. This needed a lot of background work by us to make sure that both our clients and the local authorities were happy. Once everything was in place, we could move on to the next phase, the actual production and installation of all the signage. We had to source a single stock of self-coloured aluminium composite material (ACM) to guarantee consistency of the “Merityre yellow” branding across all locations. Once we produced and labelled the signage, we had to coordinate the installation of every sign with the individual branch managers to minimise any disruption to their daily operation. Finally, the products were despatched with installers on a pre-planned route to reduce travel time between sites. This helps keep costs down for us and our clients. Flexibility and an adaptable design concept are key to rebranding success This is an ongoing project and since the initial rebrand and installation there have been further challenges as the Merityre portfolio of sites expands; but it’s important that a concept is easily adapted to new uses. For example, we had to produce an update of the signage at Merityre’s Abingdon branch in a way that retained period features. And at Farnham we couldn’t sink supporting posts for a 3-metre high monolith because of underground services. So we came up with another solution. We improvised by using an existing concrete bollard with enough core strength for us to fix our timber onto it. Considerations for your rebranding There is a lot more to rebranding than choosing colours for your exciting new logo: Consistency: Will your branding stand out against a variety of backgrounds? Adaptability: Can the concept be adapted to different premises with different constraints? Planning considerations: Early engagement with planning authorities makes success more likely. Construction challenges: Do you have a Plan B? “Reade Signs proved instrumental in the seamless roll-out of our rebrand…their knowledge and attention to detail was second to none and we felt we were in expert hands from beginning to end. The signage across our branches stands as testament – it looks absolutely fantastic and we are so pleased with the finished result” – Dene Arnold, Merityre General Manager If you’d like more information and advice about how you can best display your brand, then please contact us, email enquiry@readesigns.com or ring 01252 336000. Reade Signs – Applying Knowledge. Creating Visions. Delivering Value.

CYC:D (Pronounced as psyched), is a new concept in fitness. A modern, stylish and inspiring boutique fitness studio with its first opening in Haslemere, Surrey, delivered by Reade Signs. The ethos behind CYC:D is simple yet very effective in today’s very crowded and competitive fitness market. The class schedule is designed to fit into a busy lifestyle, the booking process is super simple. No contracts, the best equipment, the best instructors and super cool music tracks. A unique combination of complementary group workouts providing a fitness experience which challenges the norms. So our brief? CYC:D asked us how do we communicate our individuality to our customers and make them want to keep coming back for more? Challenge one – CYC:D had put as much thought into the design of the studio as their offer. With very specific ideas, we were on hand to advise how those designs could be adapted for the public environment and adhere to health and safety legislation. A signage specialist like Reade Signs will be able to interpret such a brief and bring those concepts to life. This project included custom made neons behind acrylic panels for safety, stand-off lettering, and printed and cut vinyl to name but a few. Expensive bespoke illuminated light boxes were on the customer wish list and we designed and commissioned alternatives that created the same effect, at a fraction of the cost. Our team were also able to suggest further opportunities for branding in the shower and washrooms that hadn’t been considered and saved money over alternatives such as traditional tiling. Challenge two – Create a brick-effect wall finish in the main gym, but we want it 3D and you can’t fix into the already sound proofed walls. For all the specialist bespoke signage elements required, Reade Signs sourced all products using their extensive network of reliable connections developed over 35 years in business, providing a one-stop shop solution to the customer. The brick effect panels we recommended gave a fantastic finish to the studio and required minimal fixing to preserve the noise barrier. CYC:D were delighted with the result. Challenge three – Well to be fair it wasn’t really a challenge for us. CYC:D had a strict launch day and like all our customers, expect us to work with their timetable and around their other suppliers. In this particular case, the studio was already live and working whilst the interior and exterior signage was to be fitted. Reade Signs took charge of the project coordination, working closely with all parties involved to ensure each aspect of the project ran smoothly. The customer was fully informed of the process from start to finish and was delighted with the final product, which was installed and completed ahead of the launch day deadline. We provided full consultancy from the beginning with a designated Project Manager, tailoring the signage to the customer’s needs and visions with the best use of materials to achieve this. The most important bit? The excellent feedback and reviews CYC:D have received since opening. It’s truly an inspiring environment – so working out feels like fun. So we’ve delivered their mission – CYC:D is about more than just the workouts, it’s a lifestyle and a journey. We are delighted to have played our part. “[Reade Signs] ensured everything was ready to go for our opening and were mindful of working around our customers when we had opened. Installation was quick and expertly handled and we are extremely pleased with the quality of the signs. We would not hesitate to use them again“. Faye Walton, CYC:D Director. Reade Signs – Applying Knowledge. Creating Visions. Delivering Value.